El-Sayed will become the nation’s first Muslim senator
Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races on Wednesday, and Associated Press voting data showed a seven-percentage-point lead with approximately 97% of the vote counted. The victory will make El-Sayed the nation’s first Muslim senator. The result also delivered another significant Democratic victory in a swing state as Democrats won a substantial majority in the Senate in Tuesday’s midterms. El-Sayed said he was “running on adrenaline and caffeine” after the race was called early Wednesday.
El-Sayed was born in the U.S. after his parents immigrated from Egypt. Throughout the campaign, Republicans attacked his Muslim identity. President Donald Trump repeatedly called El-Sayed a “jihadist” and said he was “on the side of the terrorists.”
El-Sayed said, “Michigan proved just how big we are. Rejected a hateful, spiteful campaign that had nothing to say about the issues and only wanted to point to my name and my face.” He added, “Michiganders rejected that. Every single county, every single one, pushed against that.”
Associated Press voting data showed every county in Michigan shifted toward Democrats compared with 2024. The AP Voter Poll, a survey of more than 4,500 voters in Michigan, found Senate voters roughly split on whether El-Sayed’s views were “too extreme,” with about half saying they were.
Rogers issued a statement conceding the race, but he and El-Sayed had not spoken as of Wednesday afternoon. In 2024, Rogers called then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin on Wednesday morning to concede, before the Associated Press had called that race.
El-Sayed said the morning was “a moment of reflection,” including what the election would mean to his two young daughters. His 3-year-old daughter, he said, had no idea what happened, while his 8-year-old understood but saw it as normal. “Now, this is something they read about in the history books,” he said. In an AP interview, El-Sayed said that while becoming the nation’s first Muslim senator is something his young daughters will read about in history books, that wasn’t his main objective.
El-Sayed had lost the state’s Democratic gubernatorial election by a double-digit margin eight years ago before winning an upset primary over an establishment-backed candidate after being outspent by tens of millions. He said his campaign proved that “old-fashioned politics can work if you’re willing to do the work.”
After the victory, El-Sayed quickly shifted attention to what he could accomplish with the seat. He said the win was “not the success” and that “the success is what you’re able to do with the seat.”
El-Sayed would not commit to supporting Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for another term, saying he did not yet know who else might run. Schumer was expected to retain the leadership position. El-Sayed said, “I do believe we need new leadership and I think people are hungry for it.”